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Food Stamps Restriction
Replies
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Chef_Barbell wrote: »
Where was it claimed that wasn't already happening? Of course besides people anecdotal experiences with welfare cheats.
That's exactly what happens. People see or hear about someone frauding the system and then assume that EVERYONE is frauding the system.
People make the worst possible assumptions about others and then vilify them for being people, just like you or me or anyone else. None of us is perfect and yet many of us expect perfection in others - the very idea is flabbergasting.12 -
I think it's unrealistic to think that you would NEVER buy something that doesn't make absolute 'sense'.
I think this is where the entitlement arguments come in.8 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
I think this is where the entitlement arguments come in.
So it's entitlement to want a candy bar or a soda? Wow. Ok.13 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
I think this is where the entitlement arguments come in.
Unfortunately it does happen on a regular basis from personal experience. I volunteer at a charity food pantry. Most of the time the recipients are grateful for what they get. You wouldn't believe though the number of complaints we get when we just have the store brand of an item to give out as opposed to the national brand.8 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »
So it's entitlement to want a candy bar or a soda? Wow. Ok.
Not to want it. To expect me to buy it for you.11 -
Packerjohn wrote: »
If you need a candy bar once a month it could be purchased from your other funds.
And if it's the end of the month and you're out of funds of anything other than SNAP and you have a sick kid who feels better sipping Sprite or Ginger Ale, I guess they're out of luck. Or, someone never learned about nutrition but they know that a candy bar and soda provide enough energy to get them through the day to lunch, it's suddenly a moral judgement when they buy the 6 pack of snickers for $3.50 and a six pack of off brand soda for $2. That's $5 for a week's worth of breakfasts. For shame (eye roll)
Yes, I know that first one is an example, not the norm, but the point is that regulations like this are needless and do nothing but make it more complicated for people to use and for stores to regulate. If someone needs or wants to buy a soda or candy bar, why does it matter?18 -
And if it's the end of the month and you're out of funds of anything other than SNAP and you have a sick kid who feels better sipping Sprite or Ginger Ale, I guess they're out of luck. Or, someone never learned about nutrition but they know that a candy bar and soda provide enough energy to get them through the day to lunch, it's suddenly a moral judgement when they buy the 6 pack of snickers for $3.50 and a six pack of off brand soda for $2. That's $5 for a week's worth of breakfasts. For shame (eye roll)
Yes, I know that first one is an example, not the norm, but the point is that regulations like this are needless and do nothing but make it more complicated for people to use and for stores to regulate. If someone needs or wants to buy a soda or candy bar, why does it matter?
So we are back to assuming people have zero nutritional sense and buy junk because they don't know better? If that were the case, and I don't think it is, then we need more restrictions not fewer.8 -
Government,s money and their rules. Me, i dont give a crap what a stranger buys at the grocery store so i would not judge a person cause they dont eat like i do.4
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
So lets turn this around. Why does it matter if soda is excluded if recipients can still get soda with their own money? They don't need assistance to get the soda, right?
If you're agreeing that it doesn't matter, then I consider the burden to be on those who want to change the current system to explain why they want it changed.
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Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »Also I know a few family member close friends who are not married but the woman is stay at home mom and gets food stamps based on her income not claiming the husbands at all...
Honestly, your family members and friends sound like not-so-great people (at least in this component of their lives). This is probably what is coloring your perception of the system, that you, your family, and friends are all abusing it or have abused it in the past.
Let me assure you that there are people in legitimate need out there, despite what life has shown you so far.17 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
I have not noticed this. I have however checked out behind someone buying live lobsters with food stamps.
So do you have a problem with that? It's not junk food.8 -
OliveGirl128 wrote: »
This is thrown out all the time, but many times it's just not true. I eat a very 'healthy' diet and I fit it in, along with the rest of my family's groceries, on a pretty small grocery budget. Beans, whole grains, frozen veggies, frozen chicken etc are all pretty inexpensive.
1. Have you ever been on food stamps?
2. Have you ever been poor in your life?
3. Are you still poor?
Answer those and maybe we can have a deeper discussion5 -
LJGettinSexy wrote: »
1. Have you ever been on food stamps?
2. Have you ever been poor in your life?
3. Are you still poor?
Answer those and maybe we can have a deeper discussion
I actually grew up dumpster diving sometimes, alongside my parents and sisters, so if you'd like to have a deeper discussion about poverty I'd be more than willing to have one with you. You probably won't like what I have to say though
And I stand by what I said-I feed a family of 5 on a very tight grocery budget, and I eat a very 'healthy' diet (I follow the DASH protocol), and my family eats a fairly balanced diet as well. Nutrient dense foods are not automatically more expensive, and I've found that they're actually cheaper than convenience foods. This idea that that 'healthy' is more expensive is just not true many times.
eta: actually, no I'm not going to go there, because my past is a pretty dark place and I have no interest in revisiting it, especially on a public forum. Needless to say, yes I know what it's like to be truly poor, probably more than most posters in this thread. But that has absolutely nothing to do with my pp, which is that I feed myself and my family a well balanced, 'healthy' diet and do so on a very tight grocery budget, ($100 a week for 5 people/2 cats, and it also includes non-food items). Beans, whole grains, frozen veggies, bagged frozen chicken etc are usually inexpensive options and are staples in my house. The idea that 'healthy' automatically means more expensive is false.8 -
stanmann571 wrote: »
Poor decision making skills. Exactly.
Much the same as the reason most of them remain in generational poverty.
But you're making poor decisions because you're on a website for people trying to manage their weight. People are way too judgy because you've have $500 to spend on food, not everyone has those means.7 -
LJGettinSexy wrote: »
So do you have a problem with that? It's not junk food.
Do you have a problem with the government buying $5,000 toilets or whatever? If so, you should have a problem with a SNAP recipient buying live lobsters or other luxury food items with government money (SNAP funds).
In either case, the idea would be those spending government resources should be good stewards of those resources and get the most value for the $ spent. In the case of the food, buying items with SNAP that provide the most nutritional value for the money.5 -
So if someone on food stamps buys a steak people get all up in arms and if they buy pop that is unacceptable too?
So buy good nutritious food but not something that is considered fancy no steak or shrimp just bagged chicken and carrots?
When I was on SNAP I would buy steaks and 2 8oz steaks would feed us for 4 days.
I don't know what you were doing with the steaks for them to last so long but it's a choice you should have.3 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
If you're agreeing that it doesn't matter, then I consider the burden to be on those who want to change the current system to explain why they want it changed.
Obviously I'm not.0 -
LJGettinSexy wrote: »
So do you have a problem with that? It's not junk food.
I do. It's extravagance and IMO charity should not fund extravagance.8 -
To a great extent, that can decide. But the reality is, they are spending other people's money, and there are always strings attached when the government/public funding is involved.
I'm not in favor of adding any more restrictions, but when on public assistance in the USA, government restrictions are part of the 'deal.'
If you've worked and paid taxes and somehow need assistance, you're not spending other people's money. It is a system set up to help people in need. It's not a way of life for everyone receiving assistance. That's what wrong with society, no one can need help at one point or another. They're not stealing their way through life, they've applied for assistance and was accepted in the program. Yes, you must be approved tor receive government assistance.12 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
So we are back to assuming people have zero nutritional sense and buy junk because they don't know better? If that were the case, and I don't think it is, then we need more restrictions not fewer.
I'm not assuming that people have ZERO nutritional sense and ONLY buy junk, but the reality is that many (if not most) people buy food that will get them through their day and it's often not what the average MFP user will choose. Whether it's because of a lack of knowledge or a lack of resources, people make sub-optimal food choices all the time. Are two eggs and a piece of fruit a more filling and nutritional breakfast than a Little Debbie snack and a soda? Of course! When I was in high school, living on my own and working 40 hours a week while also going to school, I spent $1/day on a little Debbie (they were only a quarter back then) and a 20oz soda (my chosen store sold them for .69).
Could I have gotten more nutritional bang for my buck with eggs, fruit, maybe toast? Sure, but I was too busy and fruits and veggies were expensive and I hadn't yet learned how to make better nutritional and economical choices. Could I manage more effectively now? Of course - I've learned a lot. My point with this is to illustrate that we aren't all automatically nutritionally literate. People do the best they can with what they have, and some people are not as well armed with the knowledge about how to make better food purchasing choices as we all seem to be.
Instead of trying to teach people better habits (if they even need it) through category exclusion, why not offer classes? Instead of assuming that people will only buy junk, why not be generous of thought and compassionate enough to assume that we don't know the whole story. Maybe that lady buying a package of cookies with foodstamps has to provide something for their child's school classroom party and the school forbids home-made items because of allergy concerns? And, she doesn't want anyone to realize how hard up her family is right now, so she's doing the best she can to re-prioritize and maybe she's eating a few days of ramen for her own lunch in order to afford the cookies with her limited and supplemented food budget. Is it really that big of a deal if someone buys chips to include in their child's or partner's bagged lunch?13 -
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TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »No one has mentioned that many Fast Food places take benefits. You can get your quarter pounder, biggie fries, and a shamrock shake on benefits.
Taco Bell, Arby's, McDonalds, Churches, Dairy Queen, Dominoes, Wendy's, etc, etc.
I have never been to one that does this.
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I'm not assuming that people have ZERO nutritional sense and ONLY buy junk, but the reality is that many (if not most) people buy food that will get them through their day and it's often not what the average MFP user will choose. Whether it's because of a lack of knowledge or a lack of resources, people make sub-optimal food choices all the time. Are two eggs and a piece of fruit a more filling and nutritional breakfast than a Little Debbie snack and a soda? Of course! When I was in high school, living on my own and working 40 hours a week while also going to school, I spent $1/day on a little Debbie (they were only a quarter back then) and a 20oz soda (my chosen store sold them for .69).
Could I have gotten more nutritional bang for my buck with eggs, fruit, maybe toast? Sure, but I was too busy and fruits and veggies were expensive and I hadn't yet learned how to make better nutritional and economical choices. Could I manage more effectively now? Of course - I've learned a lot. My point with this is to illustrate that we aren't all automatically nutritionally literate. People do the best they can with what they have, and some people are not as well armed with the knowledge about how to make better food purchasing choices as we all seem to be.
Instead of trying to teach people better habits (if they even need it) through category exclusion, why not offer classes? Instead of assuming that people will only buy junk, why not be generous of thought and compassionate enough to assume that we don't know the whole story. Maybe that lady buying a package of cookies with foodstamps has to provide something for their child's school classroom party and the school forbids home-made items because of allergy concerns? And, she doesn't want anyone to realize how hard up her family is right now, so she's doing the best she can to re-prioritize and maybe she's eating a few days of ramen for her own lunch in order to afford the cookies with her limited and supplemented food budget. Is it really that big of a deal if someone buys chips to include in their child's or partner's bagged lunch?
Some states do offer or even require nutrition classes, just as WIC does. But classes require more tax dollars and a simple exclusion does not.
Your very specific example, while heart string tugging, is again just a single instance and should not drive policy. The assistance is meant to feed people, not help them save face because they are in reduced circumstances. That might seem callous on the heart string tugging individual level, but as a policy that relies on taxes it could mean the difference between more people eating or one person being able to safe face.7 -
suzannesimmons3 wrote: »
Yet no one seems to be reporting the abuse....if they aren't entitled to it then you should be reporting them to authorities instead of watching it happen. You pay your taxes so don't let those that don't need it spend it.
The authorities have neither the will nor the capacity to investigate 1% of the reported fraud.3 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Some states do offer or even require nutrition classes, just as WIC does. But classes require more tax dollars and a simple exclusion does not.
Your very specific example, while heart string tugging, is again just a single instance and should not drive policy. The assistance is meant to feed people, not help them save face because they are in reduced circumstances. That might seem callous on the heart string tugging individual level, but as a policy that relies on taxes it could mean the difference between more people eating or one person being able to safe face.
People who need assistance aren't entitled to pride. Got it. Poor people should just be grateful for what they get and lost the right to maintain their dignity when they lost their job.
Seems awfully like kicking someone when they're down to me.
I find it inconsistent that you dismiss my individual examples, but don't seem dismissive of individual examples of people cheating the system.24 -
People who need assistance aren't entitled to pride. Got it. Poor people should just be grateful for what they get and lost the right to maintain their dignity when they lost their job.
Seems awfully like kicking someone when they're down to me.
I find it inconsistent that you dismiss my individual examples, but don't seem dismissive of individual examples of people cheating the system.
Tying pride to what others can give you seems very problematic. You fell on hard times. Hold your head up and do what you need to do to improve your situation. Trying to hide your situation and pretend it didn't happen to you seems to imply you are better than others who in the same situation.9 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Tying pride to what others can give you seems very problematic. You fell on hard times. Hold your head up and do what you need to do to improve your situation. Trying to hide your situation and pretend it didn't happen to you seems to imply you are better than others who in the same situation.
Effectively telling people that they have to sacrifice their dignity in order to get help seems more problematic IMO.16 -
People who need assistance aren't entitled to pride. Got it. Poor people should just be grateful for what they get and lost the right to maintain their dignity when they lost their job.
Seems awfully like kicking someone when they're down to me.
I find it inconsistent that you dismiss my individual examples, but don't seem dismissive of individual examples of people cheating the system.
Since when is a shopping cart filled with nutrient dense foods less of a source of pride than a cart full of chips, pop , cookies, etc?11 -
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Effectively telling people that they have to sacrifice their dignity in order to get help seems more problematic IMO.
Your opinion seems very strange to me. But I've never been one for "puttin' on airs' as my gram called it. I don't tie pride to my ability to buy (or have someone else buy for me) cookies and soda.9
This discussion has been closed.
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